Eye protector



W. P. BIGGS EYE PROTECTOR Filed NOV. 15, 1955 izf'fv'" g //.5 Q n 6 W.RBIGGS INVENTOR Maw ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 1 Claim.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757) This invention relates to a goggle or the like and has amongits several objects: To provide a cheap yet effective article of thetype above mentioned; to provide an eye protector in which the lensesare readily insertable and removable but are nevertheless safelyretained; to provide a goggle wherein the body and the straps forretaining the protector in operative position on the face of a wearerare made integrally; and to provide in the eye-cup a recess or troughfor holding water that may, by a rapid forward inclination of the head,be swished over the inner surface of the lens to remove steam or othersight-obscuring materials adhering to the inner surface of the lens.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a face view of an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge view with one eye-cup in section; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of an eye-cup on the line 3-3, Fig. 1.

It is to be understood that the terms lower, outer, etc., as usedhereinafter to designate relative positions refer to the positions ofthe parts of the device when it is being worn.

The eye protector embodying my present invention comprises asubstantially flat body portion 4 which includes narrow, elongated strapmembers 5 adapted to pass around the back of the wearer's head and aresecured together by any suitable means to retain the goggle in positionon the face. The body and straps are normally flat, as may be seen inFig. 2, and are of soft, very flexible rubber that readily adapts itselfto the configuration of a wearers face and clings closely so that dustand other deleterious matter are completely excluded from the eyes. Thelateral edges of the body may be provided with beads 6 to prevent readytearing of the soft rubber. The lower edge of the body is formed with areentrant portion 1 to adapt it to the nose of a wearer and adjacentthereto a the ribs 8 extend from the upper edge to the bead at the saidportion.

The eye-cups 9 may be, and preferably are, formed integrally with thebody 4. At the outer end of each eye-cup is a thickened bead l0, havingin it an internal annular groove II which gives to this part asubstantially U-shaped cross section. The beads 10 are of flexiblerubber to permit the ready insertion or removal of the lens I2 but,owing to the thickness of the bead, they are sufliciently rigid toretain the lenses safely while the protector is being worn. The edge ofeach lens I2 is formed with a double bevel, the 5 portion l3 slopingtoward the inner surface of the lens being considerably longer than isthe portion l4 sloping toward the outer surface thereof, therebyfacilitating the insertion of the lens into the eye-cup groove and itsremoval there- 10 from but providing a sufficient bearing surfacebetween the outer face of the lens and the wall of groove H to insureagainst casual removal of the lens. The soft rubber in the bead [0 tendsto adhere to the lens and so assists in the re- 15 tention thereof.

In the lower side of each eye-cup 9 is form a trough or recess IS, thewall of the eye-cup being thickened as shown at IE to provide therequisite depth. Of course, if desired, the trough l5 might be formed bydepressing the wall of the eye-cup below its normal contour and withoutthe thickening as shown in Fig. 3. A small quantity of water may beplaced in each trough l5 and when, during use, the lenses become foggedwith steam or moisture from the wearers face, or if any othersight-obscuring substance should gain access to the eye-cup and adhereto the lens, the inner surface of the lens may be washed by rapidlyinclining the head forward to cause the water in the troughs I 5 toswish over the lens and so remove the adhering material.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States for governmental purposes withoutthe payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

Eye-protecting goggles comprising a body portion having eye openingstherethrough, means for securing the body portion over the eyes of awearer, eye-cups secured over the eye openings in the body portion, asight transparency closing the outer end of each eye-cup, a flangeextending upwardly at the front of the base of each eye-cup and at therear of the sight transparency, and a flange extending upwardly at therear of the base of each eye-cup, said flanges providing a pocket forreceiving condensation-clearing fluid.

WILLIAM P. BIGGS.

